The Rhode Island General Assembly has advanced legislation legalizing, regulating, and taxing adult recreational cannabis use, with officials anticipating that Gov. Daniel McKee will sign the bill into law.
State Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28) and State Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10) sponsored 2022-S 2430Aaa and 2022-H 7593Aaa, which decriminalizes the sale and possession of up to 1 ounce of cannabis for those age 21 and up, with no more than 10 ounces for personal use kept in a primary residence.
Additionally, the legislation enables state residents to grow a small amount of cannabis at home.
“The reality is that prohibition does not stop cannabis use,” Miller, chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said. “Since Rhode Islanders can already access cannabis just across the state border or on the illicit market, we experience all the challenges without any of the safeguards or resources that our neighboring states have. With this bill, we are ending prohibition in a way that is safe, keeps revenue in Rhode Island, and is as fair and equitable as we can possibly make it.”
According to Miller, the bill has been years in the making and serves as a collaborative effort addressing concerns regarding medical use protections and ensuring fair governance.
“Social equity has been a top concern for us throughout this whole process,” Slater said. “Sen. Miller and I represent some of the communities that have suffered disproportionate harm from prohibition for decades, resulting in generational poverty and mass incarceration. The starting line isn’t the same for people in poor, urban, and minority communities. They deserve support to ensure they get the full benefit of participating in legalization.”